Things To Do in Jackson

CityVoters named The Refuge the area’s third-best golf course in 2009. Golf Link reviewers give the course a 4.5-star average:

Guided by 27 years of martial-arts experience, seventh-degree black belt Jason Griffin helps budding martial artists cultivate their skills with his team of certified Taekwondo instructors. Since 1996, they’ve helped students of all ages learn self-defense, compete in tournaments, and take pride in the practice of martial arts. The team’s dedication has paid off: In 2012, the Jackson Free Press awarded them the title of Best Martial Arts Studio. In addition to taekwondo classes, the studio hosts birthday parties, boot camps, and more.

On the Ross Barnett Reservoir sits the Main Harbor Marina, and subsequently, the full-service Main Harbor Store. There, the staff dispenses a host of boating aids, ranging from ethanol-free fuel to ice, food, and supplies, such as life jackets or inflatable marinas for boating vacations on the go. But the store doesn't merely indulge its customers in boating merchandise. It also rents out party-boat behemoths, such as pontoons fit for a dozen people looking to relax in the sun and dip their faces into the marina's waters. And in addition to personal watercraft, or small jets fit for three passengers, there's also the massive, 30-foot party barge, which holds up to 16 people and features two levels of above-water decks, as well as a slide.

At 11,000 square feet, Sky Blue Soccerdome ranks among the biggest indoor soccer facilities in Mississippi. Inside, players learn to master the beautiful game on a state-of-the-art synthetic turf pitch through training, camps, and leagues. Skills come easy under the tutelage of Manchester, England–born founder Tom Cosgrave. Tom combines his honorable-mention All-American collegiate experience and his degree in sports medicine to drop knowledge on students of all abilities. The soccerdome also includes a performance gym for improving fitness, reducing injury risk, and learning that "pumping iron" doesn’t involve lifting vitamin bottles.

The USPTA-certified pros at The Club Tennis Center at The Township teach tennis trainees how to wield rackets with the finesse of Wheaties box gracers. Tennis practitioners may bring their own stringed instruments to the lessons, while newbies borrow demo rackets from the pro shop. After opting for a battlefield of clay or another hard surface, students master techniques for defending their territory against incoming neon-yellow projectiles and acing their opponents with baseline attacks.

The Jackson Zoo, which opened in 1919, introduces families to more than 800 animals that make up more than 200 species living in re-created habitats. Throughout the diverse man-made ecosystems, wandering animal lovers can see a pair of orangutans and 12 endangered species, such as the brown-headed spider monkey, amur leopard, and hungry, hungry pygmy hippopotamus. Patrons can also ride the train and carousel through the zoo before perusing the gift shop's colorful souvenirs, which include cups and shirts emblazoned with images of striding zebras or chimpanzees working as gaffers on the Planet of the Apes set.

Magnolia Roller Vixens is a community-wise sports initiative for adult females. MRV promotes and fosters the sport of flat track derby by facilitating the development of athletic ability, sportswomanship, and goodwill among its team members and staff. MRV is an apprentice league of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association.